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All Git & Version Control Interview Questions

Practice the complete collection of Git & Version Control interview questions including theory, coding, MCQs and real interview problems.

Total Questions: 163Topics: 57Complete interview preparation

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All Git & Version Control Interview Questions (163)

Scroll through every important Git & Version Control question asked in real interviews. Includes MCQs, subjective questions, and coding prompts.

1. What is Git and why is it widely used?

Difficulty: EasyType: SubjectiveTopic: Git Basics

Git is a distributed version control system (DVCS) created by Linus Torvalds for fast, reliable source control. It enables branching/merging, offline work, and full history on every clone—ideal for team collaboration and safe iteration.

2. What is a repository in Git? Differentiate local and remote repositories.

Difficulty: EasyType: SubjectiveTopic: Git Basics

A repository stores your project files and their version history. A local repo lives on your machine (.git); a remote repo (e.g., GitHub/GitLab) is a shared copy used for collaboration and backup.

3. What is the purpose of a .gitignore file? Give two common patterns.

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All Git & Version Control Interview Questions

Overview

1. What is Git and why is it widely used?

2. What is a repository in Git? Differentiate local and remote repositories.

3. What is the purpose of a .gitignore file? Give two common patterns.

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4. Which statement best describes the difference between `git init` and `git clone`?

5. What is the typical order for recording changes?

6. What does `git add` do? What’s the staging area?

7. Which command pair helps you see staged vs. unstaged changes and actual line diffs?

8. Define a commit in Git. Why are commit messages important?

9. In a freshly cloned repo, what does the name `origin` refer to?

10. Explain the difference between `git pull` and `git fetch`.

11. Which command both creates and switches to a new branch named `feature/ui`?

12. What is a merge conflict and how do you resolve it?

13. What does `git stash` do by default?

14. When would you use `git commit --amend` and what are the risks?

15. What problem does branching solve in Git and why is it cheap compared to other VCSs?

16. Which command uses the modern syntax to create and switch to a branch named `feature/api`?

17. How do you set the current local branch to track `origin/develop`?

18. Explain fast-forward merge vs `--no-ff`. When would you prefer `--no-ff`?

19. Which command merges the branch `feature/ui` into your current branch?

20. Contrast `git rebase` and `git merge` in collaboration. Mention risks and best practices.

21. After a merge conflict, which sequence completes the merge?

22. Your new branch `bugfix/typo` has no upstream. What sets it and pushes once?

23. What does `git cherry-pick` do? Provide a use case.

24. Which command is safer to undo a public commit on a shared branch?

25. To integrate upstream changes without a merge commit, which command would you use?

26. Give two `git log` flags useful during reviews and explain them.

27. Which commands remove a merged local branch and then prune remote-tracking branches no longer on the server?

28. Why prefer annotated tags for releases and how do you push one?

29. What is the Git Index (staging area) and why does Git use it?

30. Which command stages all modified and deleted files but not untracked files?

31. How do you stage only parts (hunks) of a file interactively?

32. Describe two best practices for writing commit messages.

33. You forgot to include one file in the last commit. Which sequence is correct?

34. Which command unstages a file but keeps its working tree changes?

35. Compare `git reset --soft`, `--mixed` (default), and `--hard`.

36. Which command shows a compact, decorated graph of commits for review?

37. What is `git reflog` and when is it indispensable?

38. Which command compares staged changes to the last commit?

39. You want to discard local changes in `app.js` and reset it to the last commit. Modern command?

40. How do you find a commit by message and then show its patch?

41. Which flag creates a GPG-signed commit (assuming GPG is configured)?

42. Explain `git commit --fixup` and `git rebase --autosquash` workflow.

43. What is a remote in Git and why do most repositories have one named 'origin'?

44. Which command changes the URL of the existing 'origin' remote?

45. What is an upstream (tracking) branch and how do you set it for the current branch?

46. Which statement is TRUE?

47. How do you remove remote-tracking refs that no longer exist on the server when fetching?

48. Explain the difference between `git push` (with default `push.default=simple`) and `git push --all`.

49. Which command deletes a branch named `feature/login` on the `origin` remote?

50. To pull by rebasing your local commits on top of fetched changes just this time, use:

51. Differentiate lightweight and annotated tags. When would you prefer each?

52. Which command pushes all local tags to the `origin` remote?

53. You need a fast clone of a huge repo without full history. Which option is correct?

54. Why might a repo have both `origin` and `upstream` remotes? Outline a common workflow.

55. What is a Git submodule and how do you initialize and update them after cloning?

56. You want to work on two branches simultaneously from the same repo without stashing. What feature helps?

57. Compare Git Flow, GitHub Flow, and Trunk-based development. When would you prefer each?

58. Which statement about merge vs rebase is MOST accurate?

59. What does `git merge --no-ff feature` do when a fast-forward would be possible?

60. How do you squash the last 3 commits into one with an edited message using interactive rebase?

61. You made a fixup commit with message `fixup! Parse config`. Which command auto-positions it during rebase?

62. Why is it unsafe to rebase public branches and when is it acceptable?

63. During a rebase you resolve conflicts. Which sequence continues correctly?

64. When would you use `git rebase --onto <newbase> <upstream> <branch>`? Give a practical example.

65. What is the effect of using a platform’s “Squash and merge” option on a PR?

66. Which merge strategy option prefers current branch changes on conflicts?

67. What is an octopus merge and when is it appropriate?

68. What does `git rerere` help with?

69. You accidentally finished a destructive rebase. How do you recover your previous branch state?

70. A team wants a clean linear main branch and to preserve PR context. Which policy fits best?

71. Differentiate between working tree, index (staging area), and HEAD.

72. Which command moves HEAD and updates the index but leaves the working tree unchanged?

73. When should you prefer `git revert` over `git reset`?

74. What happens after `git reset --soft HEAD~2` and why is it useful?

75. Which data is lost after `git reset --hard <commit>` (assuming no reflog usage)?

76. Explain `git restore` and `git restore --staged` as modern replacements for older patterns.

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